Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
“Bullsh*t. Just because a few people died in the Imperial Capital, you people from the Ministry of Justice dare to come to Deer Villa to seize the Imperial Cavalry Unit’s Commandant? Do you know what kind of place Deer Villa is? Do you know that the Imperial Cavalry Unit takes orders directly from His Majesty only? Whose orders did you get to come for the arrest? Who gave you the courage to do that? Are you guys making light of His Majesty just because someone’s backing you up?”
Before Yan Liqiang arrived at Eunuch Liu’s place, he heard Eunuch Liu’s voice from outside. It was sharp, loud, and filled with fury.
Yan Liqiang had never seen Eunuch Liu fly into such a great rage from the first day he met him.
“Eunuch Liu, please calm down. We aren’t arresting him for no reason. It’s just that the matter that happened in the city last night was too big and six people died altogether. These six people seemed to be the guards of a few ministers and they have official ranks as well. This is a very serious case and we really need to provide an explanation for everything… ” another voice replied calmly.
“Explanation? What’s there to explain? If you guys are here to arrest our Commandant just because some nobodies died in the Imperial Capital, will you come to arrest me tomorrow if another nobody dies tomorrow? If a few more people die the day after, would you dare to charge into the palace? There hasn’t been a year where someone has died due to unclear reasons in the Imperial Capital. If you guys are so capable, why don’t you go resolve those past cases which have been suppressed for several decades…”
“We already have witnesses and a plaintiff who claim that the Deer Villa’s Commandant Yan is the murderer in this major case. Moreover, it’s true that Commandant Yan was in the Imperial Capital yesterday. Therefore, we’re here by the books to bring him in for questioning. These are the Ministry of Justice’s documents. If Eunuch Liu doesn’t believe it, you can check them for yourself…”
“Of course I want to check them!” Eunuch Liu snorted coldly, “Little Chun, bring them over and take a close look at them. See if there are any mistakes in there. If there is even a tiny mistake, I’ll make sure that they won’t be able to step outside Deer Villa’s doors today…”
“Eunuch Liu, Commandant Yan has come…” Little Li stopped at the door and reported to him.
“Get Commandant Yan to come in!” Eunuch Liu’s voice rang out from the room.
Yan Liqiang nodded toward Little Li and walked into the courtyard calmly before he entered the room.
Eunuch Liu was seated at the main seat in the room, his countenance extremely grim. Little Chun stood next to him, carefully checking the documents. There were three other people in official uniforms in the room. One of them was in his forties, had a long face, slanted eyes, and thin lips. He had a goatee and looked a little like Li Yong, a television show host from China Central Television that Yan Liqiang had seen in his previous life. This person wore dark red official robes and was seated at the guest seat on the left of the entrance. There were two other people in the room who were in their thirties. They each had a blade at their waists, calm composures, and they were wearing law enforcer uniforms.
The moment Yan Liqiang entered, the gazes of everyone in the room were focused on him. Other than Eunuch Liu and Little Chun whom Yan Liqiang had met a long time ago, the other three men in the room who were meeting Yan Liqiang for the first time were all stunned for a moment. It was as if they had not expected Yan Liqiang to be that young. Before they came, they thought that this Yan Liqiang was a burly man. They had not expected him to be a handsome young man.
“Yan Liqiang pays respect to Eunuch Liu…” Yan Liqiang entered the room and greeted Eunuch Liu respectfully, as if he had not seen the other three men.
“Liqiang, this is Director Chen from the Ministry of Justice. Director Chen said that you killed some people in the Imperial Capital yesterday. Is this true?”
“Eunuch Liu, although I entered the city yesterday, I only visited some friends and had a meal with them. There were witnesses throughout the entire process. After the meal, as it was too late, I left the Imperial Capital and returned to Deer Villa. I didn’t kill anyone. Those who said that I killed someone must be framing me. I would like to request for Eunuch Liu to help ensure that justice is served, and return my innocence in this false accusation!” Yan Liqiang said to Eunuch Liu calmly.
“Don’t worry. The people from our Imperial Cavalry Unit aren’t pushovers!” Eunuch Liu said with a fierce expression. He threw a glance at Little Chun who was checking through the documents, but the latter shook his head slightly, implying that he did not notice any mistakes on those documents.
Director Chen from the Ministry of Justice asked, “Eunuch Liu, can you let us bring Commandant Yan back now?”
“Wait. I still have a few more questions to ask!” Eunuch Liu threw a cold glance at that Director Chen and then turned to stare at Yan Liqiang, “You said that you went to the city for a meal. Where was it and who was it with?”
“I received an invitation in the city and had a meal at Sky Beyond with Zhang Yourong who is the Hall Master of the Soul Mountain Sect’s Thousand Engineering Hall, as well as Steward Yao and a few others from Sky Beyond’s Imperial Capital Provincial Branch. We stayed there all the way until Sky Beyond closed for the day before we left. After leaving Sky Beyond, seeing that it was late and the city gates were about to close, I left the city and returned to Deer Villa directly. I didn’t stay in the city. The people from the Soul Mountain Sect as well as the Sky Beyond’s manager can vouch for me. Moreover, Eunuch Liu also knows that I was at Deer Villa last night!” Yan Liqiang said calmly.
The Soul Mountain Sect’s Hall Master was not a nobody and when they heard that Yan Liqiang mentioned that he had been in the Imperial Capital’s Sky Beyond for a meal with the renowned engineer, Eunuch Liu was not the only one who was surprised. Even Director Chen from the Ministry of Justice was also astonished. Director Chen’s hand which was laid flat on his knee earlier was now clenched tightly. He turned to look at the other two law enforcers who seemed to be a little stunned as well. It was as if they had not received such news previously.
Unlike how Director Chen seemed to feel a little anxious about hearing this piece of news, Eunuch Liu’s brows raised and he seemed a little excited.
Director Chen’s eyes immediately narrowed as he asked, “You’re so young. Why would the Hall Master from the Soul Mountain Sect’s Thousand Engineering Hall want to treat you to a meal?”
Yan Liqiang turned and gazed at Director Chen. The thoughts that were running through the latter’s mind immediately entered Yan Liqiang’s mind and his gaze turned cold. However, he broke into a small smile and said, “Sir, you only need to know who was I with and where I was at last night in the city. As for the other matters, such as why the Soul Mountain Sect wished to treat me to a meal and what relationship I have with Master Zhang, it’s something that is of no concern to you, nor is it related to that case. There’s no need for you to know about it!”
“You…” The countenance of that Director Chen from the Ministry of Justice immediately changed, but he could not throw a fit…
Seeing that Yan Liqiang was acting like this, Eunuch Liu held greater admiration for Yan Liqiang and nodded inwardly. Such a character that made a clear distinction between love and hate was something he wished to see. If Yan Liqiang were to show his weakness after seeing the other party’s identity, then how could he be trusted with important roles in the future? The more bluntly Yan Liqiang spoke to these people from the Ministry of Justice, the more Eunuch Liu was determined to protect Yan Liqiang.
Eunuch Liu looked at Yan Liqiang and asked, “Is that Soul Mountain Sect’s Hall Master Zhang still in the Imperial Capital now?”
“Before we left Sky Beyond last night, Hall Master Zhang told me that he was going to stay in the Imperial Capital for a while. Therefore, he should still be in the Imperial Capital these few days, and he should be staying at the Soul Mountain Sect’s Imperial Capital Provincial Branch! Eunuch Liu can get people to verify this. I believe that if Hall Master Zhang and the others find out about this matter, they’d definitely be willing to vouch for me!”
“Liqiang, don’t worry. Today, I’ll make a trip to the Ministry of Justice together with you! I shall see who are the ones who dare to falsely accuse and frame you. Are they the only ones who can sue other people? Can’t I do the same?” Saying this, Eunuch Liu stood up, “Liqiang, come join me and take the horse carriage to the Ministry of Justice. I’ll back you up…”
“Eunuch Liu…” The Ministry of Justice’s Director Chen also stood up and said with a grim expression, “I’m afraid it is not appropriate for Commandant Yan to be brought to the Ministry of Justice like this. Please hand Commandant Yan over to us. We’ll arrest him and bring him in!”
“Sir, as the Ministry of Justice’s director, is your brain filled with sh*t? Don’t you know about the laws in the Great Han Empire?” Yan Liqiang pointed toward at the Ministry of Justice’s director without holding back and chided, “As the Commandant of the Great Han Empire’s Imperial Cavalry Unit, I’m a military officer. When I haven’t been convicted of a crime, the Ministry of Justice’s documents can only be that of investigations and not a warrant for an arrest. Right now, I’m only being brought in for questioning by the Ministry of Justice. Which law in the Great Han Empire tells you that you can arrest a military officer to be investigated at the Ministry of Justice when he hasn’t been convicted or attempt to escape or resist?”
“Haha, Liqiang, well said. Some people are used to being other people’s dogs [1]. They can’t recognize human words and don’t even know who holds the rights over the laws of the Great Han Empire!” Eunuch Liu turned and cast a cold glance toward Director Chen before he left, pulling Yan Liqiang with him.
The color of Director Chen’s face kept alternating between green and white, before he finally grit his teeth and followed after them…
[1] Suggesting becoming someone else’s lackey.
